Grand Theft Auto V$59.99
Rockstar's crime franchise returns with even more gratuitous violence and grimy perversions of the American dream. The gripping narrative will keep you on the edge of your seat as you smash, steal, and kill your way to success in what is the largest GTA to date. A new online mode pushes the gangster scenarios into multiplayer gang vs. gang scuffles.

 Available on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Injustice: Gods Among Us$59.99
Injustice: Gods Among Us is a polygonal 2D fighter set in the DC Comics universe that spins an action-packed tale of Superman establishing a fascist regime after the Joker goes too far. It's a fast-paced, cinematic fighter with enough meat to appease the casual fighting game fan. Core players who live on deep control schemes, evasions, sidesteps, and other more advanced techniques may find Injustice: Gods Among Us a bit thinner than your average Capcom, SNK, or Arc System Works fighter, but the environmental interactions (you can slam Batman with a motorcycle!) are loads of fun.

Killer Instinct $59.99
Killer Instinct is the rare fighting game that successfully caters to both casual and hardcore audiences. Low-skill players can bust out impressive moves, while fighting game masters can work the meters, linkers, enders, and other techniques to dominate opponents. There's a deep combat system on display that will keep gamers busy despite the small roster. If you're an old school Killer Instinct fan, the new edition satisfies. If you haven't dipped your toe into the combo-heavy waters, you can download the game for free and sample the madness.

 Available exclusively on Xbox One.

The Last of US$59.99
The Last of Us combines action and survival gameplay to tell a character-driven tale about a man and young girl who are survivors in a world destroyed by the Cordyceps fungus, a growth that transforms humanity into zombie-like monsters (the fungus, in fact, is one that appears in the real world and has unusual effects on its hosts). The PlayStation 3 will soon begin to fade into the background, but The Last of Us will be remembered as one of the best games that the video game medium has ever produced.

 Available exclusively on PlayStation 3.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds $39.99
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past on the Super NES was arguably the greatest Zelda game ever. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds on the Nintendo 3DS taps everything that gamers loved about A Link to the Past and includes an incredibly creative feature that lets gamers transform the protagonist into a 2D painting that can scale walls. It's classic Nintendo fun and one of the best games of the year.

 Available exclusively on Nintendo 3DS.

The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD$49.99
It's strange to think that a remake of a game from two console generations ago is one of the best titles Available on the Wii U, but The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD is just that. That isn't a condemnation of the Wii U's library, but a testament to how some Zelda titles truly stand up over time. Like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Wind Waker HD shows that some games aren't ever truly past their prime, and can still give deep, compelling, enjoyable experiences.

 Available exclusively on Wii U.

LEGO City Undercover$49.99
LEGO City Undercover recalls the music video for the Beastie Boys' Sabotage: fictional cops with over-the-top car chases, disguises, and ridiculous hair. The game doesn't have Mike D, MCA, or Ad-Rock screaming into a microphone, but LEGO City Undercover is packed full of ridiculous, funky (and blocky!), family-friendly police action and stands as one of the best Wii U games.

 Available exclusively on Wii U.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes$29.99
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is a near-perfect blend of three wonderful childhood staples: comic books, video games, and, well, LEGO. Steeped in Marvel Comics goodness, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes puts players in the role of a superhero team (a wonderful mish-mash of over 100 comic book characters) tasked with recovering all-powerful Cosmic Bricks that are scattered around the globe before top-tier baddies such as Loki, Dr. Doom, and Magneto get their hands on the cubes. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is one of the most smiling-inducing games of the year, and should be on the want-list of every comic book or LEGO fan.

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon$39.99
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is an entertaining adventure game and a long-awaited sequel to a game (Luigi's Mansion) that few even thought would see a sequel. It isn't very deep, but the puzzles, action, and multiplayer modes make it a worthwhile package for any 3DS owner looking for something slightly different.

 Available exclusively on Nintendo 3DS.

Madden NFL 25$59.99
The venerable Madden monolith returns for a 25th season, and it's quite possibly the most realistic Madden to date thanks to a new collision engine. Deep franchise and career modes and online gameplay options round out this excellent pigskin offering.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team$39.99
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team isn't an epic saga of danger, drama, and siblings finally being torn apart after decades of tension, but it's a fun little Nintendo 3DS role-playing game. Dream Team doesn't have the genuinely unique and fresh feel of Paper Mario's various games, and it doesn't bring much new to the table besides the puzzle-solving dream mechanic, but it's enjoyable and cheerful.

 Available exclusively on Nintendo 3DS.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance$59.99
Despite starring a sword-carrying Raiden, Revengeance's G.I. Joe-like sci-fi tech, codec calls, cardboard boxes, unnecessary cleavage, and military themes give the game the Metal Gear touch. There's far less stealth than in a traditional Metal Gear game, but when you can slice a robotic dinosaur into bits, why sneak?

For more than a decade, Jeffrey L. Wilson has penned gadget- and video game-related nerd-copy for a variety of publications, including 1UP, 2D-X, The Cask, Laptop, LifeStyler, Parenting, Sync, Wise Bread, and WWE. He now brings his knowledge and skillset to PCMag as Senior Analyst.
When he isn't staring at a monitor (or two) and churning out Web hosting, music, utilities, and video game copy, Jeffrey mentors, practices Jeet Kune Do, blogs, podcasts, and speaks at the occasional con. He also collects vinyl and greatly enjoys...
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